NBCUniversal News Chief Stresses Need for ‘Trustworthy Information’ in Wake of Ronna McDaniel Hiring Reversal
Cesar Conde, NBCUniversal News Group chairman, took the stage at the network’s Upfront presentation on Monday to discuss the responsibility of news networks to deliver “trustworthy information” to viewers.
“We are living in momentous times,” Conde said. “The most trustworthy information is when we have our highest levels of engagement. And when our audiences most rely on us.”
“It’s a responsibility we take very seriously,” Conde continued.
The NBCUniversal News Group chairman appeared nearly two months following the Ronna McDaniel hiring controversy, which caused many to question Conde’s leadership.
The debacle, which involved on-air scoldings from a host of MSNBC anchors and veteran Chuck Todd prior to the reversal of the hiring, marked a major blunder for Conde, who has been in his role for four years.
“Our news organization has the most iconic and most trusted brands in the country,” Conde said on Monday. “From NBC News to CNBC to MSNBC, from Telemundo to our new streaming platform, NBC News now and our scores of local stations and affiliates around the nation.”
“We are leaders in lifestyle, business news, and more,” the NBCUniversal News Group chairman added.
On stage, Conde was accompanied by NBC News anchor Lester Holt, who said, “Our journalists are passionate about what we do. Every day we bring our commitment and our courage, without fear or favor, to everywhere we go and everything we do.”
“Thank you for your continuing support. Without you we cannot be who we are, who the nation needs us to be,” Conde concluded. “Together we know that strong news organizations equal strong democracies, here and everywhere.”
In 2020, Conde was elevated to NBCUniversal News Group chairman — beating out heir apparent Noah Oppeinheim — and proceeded to expand his oversight to include NBCUniversal Local and NBCU Telemundo Enterprises Group following the ouster of former NBCU CEO Jeff Shell and subsequent restructuring under Comcast president Mike Cavanagh.
The post NBCUniversal News Chief Stresses Need for ‘Trustworthy Information’ in Wake of Ronna McDaniel Hiring Reversal appeared first on TheWrap.